Spark-plug-cleaning apparatus



Sept 6, 1927.

G. BROWNING SPARK PLUG CLEANING APPARATUS Filed June 50, 1925 MA @WN .Jillllllhi attozwmg Patented Sept, 69 H9270 ,ai carica- GEORGE BRWNING, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, SSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO ALBERT 'i RICHARDS, 0F SAN IIJIIII'JG0CALIEIQRN'IA.A

appimation mea June'so, i925. serial No. 40,618.

My invention relates to spark plug cleaning apparatus, and the objects of my invention are: first, to provide a spark plug cleaning apparatus whereby spark plugs may be quickly, easily and efficiently cleaned by a blast of granular abrasive without taking the plugs apart; second, to provide a receptacle or tank for a spark plug cleaning apparatus having a working compartment at its lower end adapted to contain sand or other similar granular abrasive, and having a relatively large settling or air separating compartment at its upper portion for effectively separating the sand or other granular abrasive from i5 the air forced therein; third, to provide an apparatus of this class for blasting spark plugs with sand or'other granular abrasive in which the air is readily separated from the sand or other granular abrasive without unnecessarily clogging the air discharge passage, and in `which the sand or other granular abrasive is returned to the working coinpartment and used over and over until sub- Stantially all of its abrasive qualities have been destroyed; fourth, to provide an appas ratus of this class in which the sand or other granular abrasive blast nozzle may be easily and quickly replaced by another when worn; fifth, to provide an apparatus of this class in which the blast nozzle may be easily adjusted to the proper position. relatively to the spark plugs to be cleaned or shifted outwardly beyond the working compartment of the apparatus for applying a sand or other granular abrasive blast on other articles'not capable of being inserted into the blast receptacle of the apparatus; sixth, to provide as a whole a novelly constructed-spark plug cleaning apparatus, and seventh, to provide an apparatus of this class "which is simple and economical of construction, durable, ecient, and which will not readily deteriorate or get out Yof order.

vWith these and other objects in view, as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangementof parts and portions, as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth'in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the characters of reference thereon, which form a part of this application, in which: v

Figure 1 is a sectional elevational view of my spark plug cleaning apparatus, with the .section taken through 1 1 of Fig. 2; Fig,2 is another sectional elevational view thereof,

taken through 2 2 of Fig. 1, andFig. 3 is a sectional view thereof in of ig. l Like characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions. throughout the-several views of the drawings.

The supporting means or frame of my aps paratus consists of a small receptacle 1 and a relat ively large, upwardly and outwardly diverging or flaring receptacle or tank 2 secured at its lower reduced end to the upper end of the receptacle 1 by means of' screws 3, there being preferably placed 4a gasket 4 between the joining portions of said receptacle, which communicate freely with each other. Extending longitudinally through the receptacle 1 and revolubly mounted therein is a supporting and adjusting screw 5 provided at the end extendin A beyond the receptacle with a knob 5*. 0n this screw 5 is supported a substantially T- shaped fitting 6 by means of an upwardly extending lug 6n thereon. Through the run portion of the l'shaped fitting 6 extends a long tubular air nozzle 7 which is preferably frictionally secured therein and reciprocally mounted through the-wall of theV re ceptacle 1. Said air nozzle 7 is connected a5 to a suitable air hose 8. At the one run end of the fitting 6 is screwably secured the blast nozzle 9, which is positioned around andezrtends beyond the discharge end of the air injecting nozzle 7, as shown best in Fig. 1. To the lower end of the fitting 6 is secured a tubular member or nipple 10, which extends downwardly from the hollow portion thereof into the sand or other granular abrasive material S placed in the bottom of the receptacle 1. In the one end wall` of the working receptacle 1 is mounted asocket member 11 which is adapted to receive the normally inner or ignition end of a spark plug, shown by dottedlines and indicated by P, in the drawings. Near the outer end of the socket member 11 is provided a shoulder 11a against which is preferably positioned a removable yieldable asket 12 of a certain size to receive the p ugend of the sparkA plug, the inner shoulder of the spark plug being forced, preferably by hand, against said yieldable gasket. 1 'Near one -endof the upper wall of the receptacle 2 is provideda filling opening 2*v 110 plan, taken through l ratus.

over which is removably positioned the filler cap 13. In the, u per wall of the receptacle 2 1s also provide an air discharge opemng 2" surrounded by an upwardly extending and slightly converging flange 2c over which is positioned the one end of the ventpipe v14, there being preferably provided another flange 2d around the lower end of the vent pipe 14, as shown best in Fig. 1. This construction around the air discharge opening permits a loose connection between the vent pipe 14 and the receptacle 2 and at the same time permits an automatic-seal between the receptacle and the vent pi e by reason of a certain amount of the san or other abrasive material carried upwardly into the vent pipe and dropping back into the space between the flange 2 and the vent pipe 14, as shown.

Thus it will be seen that when placing the normall inner end of the spark plug into the soc et member 11 against the gasket shoulder 12 and forcing air through the nozzle 7, a vacuum will be created at the lowerA end of the nipple 10, drawing up the sand therein into the fitting 6 and the blast nozzle 9, which sand, together with the air, will be forced against the inner end of the spark pluo P, thoroughly cleaning the same of all carbon and oil and at the same time polishing the parts. It will behere noted that the interior of the blast nozzle 9, being constantly subjected to the abrasive action of the sand, will wear down in a short time so as to reduce the eiiciency of the appa- For this reason I have provided a readily removable blast nozzle which may be unscrewed from the fitting 6, and by shifting the same backwardly by the screw 5v, the i nozzle 9 may be easil removed.

With this adjusta le construction of the `nozzle 9, the same may be screwed outwardters Patent is:

ly beyond the outer end of the socket member .11 by means of the screw 5 so that the apparatus ma be used for sand blasting other articles esides spark plugs.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arra n ement of parts and portions, .I do not w1s to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement, but

.desire to include inthe scope of my invention the construction, combination and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims. f

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Let- 1. In an apparatus of the class described an upwardly diverging container adapted to receive a granular abrasive material at its bottom end, a blast nozzle positioned within 4the lower end thereof, communicating with a source of air supply and communicating vwith the lower end of said container for drawin upwardly the abrasive material adapte to be i'positioned therein, and a screw u on which said nozzle is shiftably mounte 2. In an apparatus of the class described, an upwardly diverging container adapted to receive a granular abrasive material at its bottom end, a blast nozzle positioned within the lower end thereof, communicatin with a source of air supply and communicating with the lower end of said container for drawin upwardly the abrasive material adapter? upon which said nozzle is ,shiftably mounte the 'discharge end of said nozzle being variously ad'ustable within said container and extendible beyond the saine.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, a container provided with an o em'ng in its wall, a screw revolubly mounte in sa1d container at its lower portion, andv an abrasive material blast nozzle shiftably supported by said screw and communicating with'a source of air supply and with the lower end of said container, said nozzle being adjustable relative -to the opening in the wall of the container. l l 4. In an apparatus of the class described a container, a fitting adjustabl mounted transversely at the lower end o said container and communicating with the bottom portion thereof an air nozzle extending through said fitting and communicating with a source of air suppl material blast nozzle reaflil cured to said fittin end of said air nozz e. l

5. In an apparatus of the class described, a container having a relatively small worky .removably searound the discharge in compartment at its lower end, and an ot er larger compartment flaring outwardly and upwardly therefrom providing an abrasive material settlin and air separating tank, said upwardly anv outwardly Haring compartment being 'provided at its upper end with a free vent to the atmosphere, said lower relatively small compartment bei provided with an opening 1n its end wlI adapted to receive a spark plug, an adjusting screw extending longitudinally throu h said smaller compartment, a fitting shi ably supported on said screw and communieating with the lower end of said compart ment, said fitting bein provided at its one end with an abrasive last nozzle directed toward the opening in the .wall of the smaller compartment, and an air nozzle extending into said fttin and the blast nozzle and communicating wit a source Aof air supto be positioned therein, and a screw and an abrasive In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Diego, California, this 18th day of June, 1925.

GEORGE BROWNING. 

